Ratchet mechanism for tools.



UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

ADDISON B. CABLL, F BGOTHW'YN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BATCHET MEGHANISM FOR TOOLS.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Original application tiled Kay 24, 1913, Serial No. 769,646. Divided and this application nled April 15, 1914. Serial No. 832,060.

lo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDISON B. CARLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boothwvn, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Ratchet Mechanism for Tools, of which the followin is a specification.

The invention re ates to improvements in ratchet mechanism for tools, and is a division of an a lication filedby me May 24, 1913, Serial o. 769,646.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of ratchet mechanisms, and to provide a simple, eicient, and comparatively inexpensive ratchet mechanism, desi ed for use on various kinds of tools, suc i as ratchet wrenches, ratchet drills, ratchet braces etc., and equipped with a reversible pawl having an engaging portion arranged to be wedged between a ratchet wheel and a coacting oscillatory member, so that the strain or pressure incident to the operation of the tool on the working stroke will maintain the pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel and prevent any liability of the pawl accidentally slipping inwardly or backwardly.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various cianges in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the s irit or sacrificing any of the advantages o the invention.

In the drawing z-Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of'a ratchet mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. is a sectional view showing the reversible pawl at its central position, in engagement with the recess of the rota stock or shank. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Like numerals o reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In the accompan ing drawin ,in which is illustrated the pre erred embo iment of the invention, 1 designates an oscillatory operating member having an enlarged terminal portion 2, provided with an aperture consisting of a substantially circular or segmental outer portion 3, and an approximately rectangular inner portion 4. The outer portion 3 of the aperture is greater than a semi-circle to rovide a curved wall 5 for embracin and orming a bearing for a ratchet whee 6, which may be formed b cutting spur teeth in a rotary stock or shank 7, but the ratchet wheel may be applied to such stock or shank in any other preferred manner. The stock or shank 7 is rovided at one side or face of the enlarge portion of the oscillatory member with a projecting annular cnlar ement or collar 8, which forms a shoul er to it against the adjacent side of the oscillatory member. In the accompanyin drawing, the ratchet mcchanism is a apted dparticularly for use on ratchet braces, an the stock or shank 7 is designed to be provided at its outer end with the usual tool receiving socket or head (not shown), but the rotary stock or shank may be of any preferred construction, to suit the character of the tool to which the ratchet mechanism is to be applied. The stock or shank is retained in the outer portion of the aperture of the oscillatory member by a nut 9, adjustably mounted on a reduced portion 10 of the stock or shank havin screw threads 11. The member 1 is oscil ated in the usual manner in the operation of the tool, and the enlarged end 2 is arran ed between the fiat faces of the collar 8 an nut 9, The ratchet wheel G is engaged by a re versible awl 12 -consisting of a circular head or isk 13 having an engaging portion 14 and a central longitudinal stem or pivot 15 extending into a longitudinal opening 16 of the handle and slidable tliei ein to carry the engaging portion of the pawl into and out of en vagement with the ratchet wheel, and capa le also of rotary movement to reverse the pawl for arrangin the en aging ortion thereof at either si e of t e enarged terminal of the oscillatory member. The longitudinal opening 16 of the oscillatory member has a counter-bore 17 which receives a coiled springl 18, bearin at its lower end against the iskv or hea of the pawl and having its inner end seated against the shoulder 19, formed by the counterbore 17. The engaging portion 14 of the pawl a straight inner edge or face, l. The outerV peri iheral face of the enlargement 1s preferab y smooth and curved, as shown. The enlargement with an inclined or angularly disposed series of teeth 20 extending entirely across the en largement and having their points arranged in an arc correspondingl with the periphery of the ratchet wheel, and presenting flat faces to the teeth thereof and adapted to engage in the 7grooves or spaces between the said teeth. l hile only two teeth 20 are shown in the accompanying drawin the number may be varied, and the aw may be equipped with three teeth, as illustrated in the aforesaid application. The angularly disposed series or sets of teeth form a tapered outer engagin portion with the terminal thereof tapered inwardly at the the flat engaging face thereof being set at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the oscillatory member. l y this construction the tendency of the ratchet wheel is to draw the pawl around with it whereby the strain or pressure on the sai pawl in the vertical movement thereof serves to wedge the pawl between the ratchet wheel and the adjacent side of the oscillatory member. lhis action of the parts maintains the pawl securely in engagement with the ratchet wheel and eiiectually prevents the pawl from accidentally slipping or springing out of such engagement. `lie circular head of the pawl operates in the inner approximately rectangular portion of the aperture of the oscillatory member, and it extends entirely across the said aperture and projects from the opposite or side face of the oscillatory member, whereby it may be operated at either side of the same. The inner faces 22 of the enlarged terminal portion of the oscillatory member at the rectangular portion of the aperture are curved transversely and present smooth surfaces to the head of the pawl. When the member 1 is oscillated in the vertical movement of the tool, it is locked rigid with the stock or shank by the action of the pawl, and when the said member is swung in the opposite direction, the pawl releases the ratchet wheel and ratchets over the teeth of the same, and permits the said member 1 to turn independently of the stock or shank. The pawl has a slight reciprocation in engaging and releasing the ratchet wheel, and it is guided in such reciprocation and held against rotary movement bv the annular shoulders formed by the collar 8 and the nut 9 of the stock. The pawl is moved inwardly or rearwardly to carry its engagin portion out of engagement with the annu ar shoulders of outer tooth,

the stock when it is desired to partially rois provided at the inner side.

tate the pawl for reversing the ratchet mech anism. The outer circular portion 3 of the aperture of the enlarged terminal portion of the oscillatory member 1 is of greater diameter than the inner rectangular portion 4 of -the said aperture, and when the oscillatory member is separated from the stock or shank, the'pawl may be readily moved into and out of the said outer portion 3 of the aperture, and be thereby detached from the said member 1. This construction will enable the parts to be readily separated and assembled.

The annular enlargement or collar 8 of the stock or shank 7 is provided at its shoulder with a substantially oblong recess 25, of a size to receive the projecting engaging oltion of the reversible pawl when the atter is in a central position, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing. The engaging portion of the pawl is preferably ie uced in width at its outer portion, as indicated at 24, and the bottom of the recess 25 is curved to conform to the configuration of the peripheral face of the engaging portion of the pawl. The iiat side faces of the reduced outer portion of the said engaging portion of the pawl are adapted to fit against the end walls of the recess 25, and the oscillatory member is interlocked with the stock or shank and the two parts are held against relative rotary movement when the pawl is in engagement with the recess 25. Ihe inner portion 26 of the oscillatory member is tubular and interiorly threaded to receive a terminal portion 27 of a tubular handle member or brace 28, but the oscillatorl operating member 1 may be connected wit any other suitable means for enabling it to be oscillated.

What is claimed is 1. A ratchet mechanism of the class described including a rotary stock or shank having a ratchet wheel, an oscillatory operating member havin a bearing receiving the said ratchet whee and a rotary reversible pawl carried by the operating member and provided with an eccentrically arranged en aging portion adapted to be carried to eit er side of the bearing of the said membei` by the rotary movement of the pawl, said engaging ortion bein constructed to interlock with t ie teeth of t e ratchet wheel, and the metal of the engaging ortion being arranged to be clamped and wedged between the ratchet wheel and the operating member at the adjacent side of the bearing to lock the pawl 1n engagement with the ratchet whee Q A ratchet mechanism of the class described including a rotary stock or shank having a ratchet wheel, an oscillatory operating member having a bearing o ening and receivi the ratchet wheel, ,an a rotary reversib e pawl. carried by the operating member and provided with a tapered engag- `ing portion, said en aging portion bein eccentricall arrange so as to be carrie to either si e of the bearing by the rotary movement of the pawl, whereby the tapered engaging portion will be clamped or wedged between t e ratchet wheel an Athe adjacent side of the bearing.

3. A ratchet mechanism of the class described including a rotary stock or shank having a ratchet wheel, an oscillatory operating member provided with an aperture receiving the ratchet wheel, and a spring actuated pawl carried by the operating member and mounted for rotar movement thereon, said pawl being provi ed with an eccentrii cally arranged engaging portion having an arcuate series of ratchet teeth to be carried to either side of the aperture by the rotary movement of the awl the metal of the teeth being arrange to be clamped between the ratchet wheel and the adjacent side wall of the said aperture.

4.-. A ratchet mechanism of the class described includin a stock or shank having a ratchet wheel an rovided with an aperture receivin the ratclhet wheel, and a spring actuate pawl mounted for rotary movement on the said operating member and lprovided with a tapered eccentrically arranged engaging portion having an arcuate series of teeth adapted to be carried to either side of the said aperture Iby the rota movement of the pawl, the terminal teet being tapered inwardly and interlockin with the ratchet wheel and ada ted to be c am d between the same and t e adjacent si e Wall of the said aperture.

5. A ratchet mechanism of the class described, including a stock or shank provided with a recess, a ratchet wheel carried by the and carried'by the o erating member and having an eccentrica y arranged engaging portion, said engagingl portion being adapted to be carried to et er side of the operating member by the rotary movement of the pawl and being also adapted, when in an intermediate position, to engage the said recess to lock the operating member rigid with the stock or shank.

6. A ratchet mechanism of the class described including a stock provided with a ratchet wheel and having spaced shoulders, an operating member having an aperture receiving the ratchet wheel and provided with an adjoinin aperture, a spring actuated pawl located 1n the said adj oinin a erture of the operating member and inc u ing a. rotary head extending through and beyond the side face of the operating member, said head having a centra guiding spindle with a spring on one side and a Hat tapered eccentrically arranged engaging portion with an arcuate series of teeth on the other side, said engagingportion being arranged to reciprocate between the said shoulders of the stock and ada ted to interlock with the ratchet wheel, an the metal of the tapered engaging portion being arranged to be clamped between the ratchet wheel and the adacent side wall of the aperture.

n testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ADDISON B. CARLL.

Witnesses:

L. M. ELDER, M. D. ELDER.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner ot Patents,

wsshlngtomnd. 

